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Fun, Not Fear!
Helping Children Cope With Fears Through Stories and Crafts
By Mike Anderson
"I hate rain," Anna says to her friend, Audra. She gazes at the brightly colored wet leaves that blanket the front yard. "I really wanted to play in the leaves."
A raindrop runs lazily down the outside of Anna's window. Droplets puddle on the windowsill and flow onto the porch roof. Anna slumps into the overstuffed chair in the corner of the room. She folds her arms across her chest and puts on her best pout face.
"Let's listen to music and dance!" Anna tells Audra. She walks to her CD player. Banjo and dulcimer music fill the room. Anna and Audra dance. Flying feet swing Audra and her around and around. Anna's sadness disappears as the raindrops splash off the sill and into the puddles.
During the third song, Anna and Audra see a bright flash of light. A very loud BOOM rattles the cups in Anna's tea set. "OH!" Anna yells. She hugs Audra and they crawl under the covers of her bed. Another flash of light and another BOOM!
Her mother walks into the room and asks, "Are you and Audra OK?"
Anna runs to her mother and gives her a big hug. "Did you hear the thunder?" asks Anna. "I don't like thunder."
Through the window they see another flash of lightning. "Count to see how far away the storm is," Mother whispers.
"One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four ... one thousand eight," counts Anna.
"The storm is about eight miles away," says Mother. "That's all the way across town!"
Suddenly Anna's music stops. The lights go out. Anna's mother flicks the light switch to see if the lights will come on. They don't. Anna nervously glances out the window and holds Mom's hand. "Audra and I were dancing," she says. "We can't dance without music."
"Maybe you can make your own music," says Mother.
